Our journey through Middle Earth has been leading up to two Great Walks: the Routeburn and the Kepler.
Whenever we share our plans people often comment on how wonderful those two tramps are, so we've been looking forward to them.
Just as on the Heaphy, we would hike a few hours each day from hut to hut. The huts are wonderful. The only thing that could make them better would be someone there to make us pisco sours when we arrive.
We left Queenstown one morning on a prearranged ride (I think you know why this ride was prearranged) to Glenorchy where the Routeburn would begin. By 9:00 we were on the trail. The air was cool, but the sun was shining. This was fortunate, because just a few days before, the Routeburn had been closed for five days! We had enjoyed glorious glimpses of the lake and glistening mountains on the ride, so we were eager for the views to come.
All Great Walks seem to start by walking up. But the paths are so well developed and the grade is never steep, so it was a nice walk. We arrived at the first hut, cooked lunch and enjoyed the sunny meadow.
There were two ducks in the stream that entertained us. When they wanted to move to a different strip of land they jumped into the water and rode the current down to their next destination. It was so clever of those ducks. Someday, we will have pet ducks.
As we walked higher, the views became more and more impressive. At one point, I drank straight from a little stream running down the mountain.
We reached the hut early in the afternoon. It looked like a treehouse. The bunks were in nice little compartments and, though you had to walk on the outdoor balcony to reach them, the bathrooms were inside and the toilets flushed! Luxury.
Actually, luxury was just up the hill from us at the "guided walks lodge." I think they had showers and wine there.
Anyways, we camped out next to the fireplace and were quite comfortable. Another couple arrived just after us and joined us near the stove. They said a group of 40 exchange students would be joining us that night. So we waited in anticipation of what was coming.
After a bit they arrived in small groups. Teenagers. From around the world. We ended up doing the whole trek with this group. It turned out to be quite entertaining. They were exchange students through the Rotary Club living here for a year. Several mentioned that they had done well in their interview and that's why they had been chosen. So, I suppose, they were the creme de la creme as far as teenagers go. Anyways, they took selfies with us, so, I was satisfied.
In the evenings the rangers come by to do a hut talk. That night, the warden first entertained us with magic tricks. We noticed he had a US Parks Service emblem on his hat (the accent was also a clue that he was American). Turns out, he had worked in the Parks Service in the states and was a graduate of Cal Poly! Small world.
He gave us the scoop on animals in New Zealand. There are only three native land mammals in New Zealand and they are all bats. There were once 107 bird species. Many of them became land dwelling, due to the lack of predators. They became endangered when mammals, such as stoats were introduced by Europeans. Now there are stoat traps all over the trails. Each trap catches two stoats, suggesting they're not the brightest critters. If you see a dead relative in a box, wouldn't you consider staying out of that box? The egg in the middle is just too tempting though.
Anyways, New Zealanders are very persistent in ridding their country of these pests (as well as rabbits and possums- they seem to really get a kick out of running possums over with their cars). Unfortunately, more than half the original birds are now extinct.
It was an interesting talk, but the most valuable information he shared was the weather report. Clouds had rolled in that afternoon and it was cold. He said they expected 15 cm of snow during the night and another 15 cm that afternoon. We all needed to leave by 9:00 in the morning so we could avoid trouble on the trail and arrive at the next hut before the afternoon snowfall.
Matt had been looking forward to sleeping in and thought we could push the time limit a bit. I decided that we should avoid any potential for blizzards or avalanche or whatever the risk could be. Besides, with 30 teenagers getting ready for breakfast at 7:00am, how late could we sleep?
As far as we know, the expected snowfall during the night never came. But, just as we were waking up it started to fall. The first 15 cm were running late. We ate breakfast, packed up and headed out (long before 9:00; because, again, 30 teenagers were having breakfast at 7:00).
That morning, we walked further up the hill. Our hut had been at the very top of the bush line, so we were high in the grassy tussocks most of the day. I love that terrain. It's high and grassy and rocky. We walked along the side of the hills. There was a small lake tucked into the hills. The sky was clouded over, perhaps making the scenery more ethereal than if we had been hiking with blue skies.
As we walked on, the snow started falling softly, then harder and harder, piling up on the hillsides. It was not letting up and my pants were getting wet, so I had to don my plastic skirt again. I've become rather attached to my effective article of clothing. I got several compliments along the way.
Once we reached the highest point, we came to a pass with a shelter. It was very cozy in that shelter. After a short break, we continued to the other side. All of a sudden the snow was nearly gone. A few stray snowflakes still floated along and there were patches of snow from previous snowfalls. But that was it. We were even greeted by a rainbow.
Our glimpses of the mountain peaks were still rare. However, as we descended the clouds started to part revealing peaks looking over the lake we were walking towards.
Once we reached the tree line the trail got rocky, so I basically bumped along until we reached the hut.
Just awhile after we arrived, the second 15 cm of snow began to fall. It fell hard and was so beautiful to watch outside the window. The trees began to hold the snow and we began to find ourselves in winter.
A white Christmas. In the middle of summer.
That night at the hut talk, rather than learning about the ecology or geology of the Routeburn, we learned about the French woman who dragged her rolling suitcase across that trail. Can you imagine?
Anyways, the next morning we had to leave early to meet our next prearranged ride. When we went out the snow had stopped, but the landscape had transformed to a winter wonderland. It was glorious.
We walked by a few avalanche warnings, but all was still. We saw more peaks with fresh snow surrounding the valley.
As we walked further, the snow disappeared and the green moss and ferns became visible again. It did feel a little like a forest where fairies might live.
We also found this. I wish I could collect all the wood and plants and rocks in New Zealand to bring home as souvenirs. (I think the Kiwis may be against my scavenging in the national parks, unless of course, I scavenge a stoat.)
There is a series of these pictures; I should be embarrassed.
(I think Matt likes these events, because he says, "That's going in the blog, right?" Usually, when he says that, it's a situation where I'm the one who ends up looking ridiculous.)
We also found another lake surrounded by mountains. I'm addicted to lakes surrounded by mountains.
Add a bushy valley, and I'll stay there all day.
But, alas, we could not stay there all day. After tramping downhill (which is, in some ways, harder than tramping uphill) we arrived at the car park! Matt took one look at the main road and said, "We could have hitched a ride here."
Fortunately, we didn't have to try. Our ride arrived and away we went to showers and beds with duvets and Italian food.
I love tramping. But no matter the length of the trip, I really love returning to town; my woodland existence is only short-term.
